title: The expression and potential regulatory function of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of leiomyoma.
abstract: Leiomyomas are benign uterine tumors considered to arise from transformation of myometrial cells. What initiates the conversion of myometrial cells into leiomyoma is unknown, however cytogenetic analysis often shows occurrence of nonrandom chromosomal abnormalities that may account for their establishment. It is clear that ovarian steroids are essential for leiomyoma growth, and local expression of many autocrine/paracrine mediators serving as key regulators of cell-cycle progression, cellular hypertrophy, extracellular matrix accumulation, and apoptosis appear to play central roles in this capacity. However, the stability of the expression of these genes represents the hallmarks of leiomyoma establishment, growth, and regression. With the emergence of microRNA (miRNA) as a key regulator of gene expression stability, in this review we present evidence for the expression and potential regulatory functions on miRNAs in leiomyoma with particular emphasis on the expression of their selective target genes whose products influence various cellular activities critical to pathogenesis of leiomyomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA. Xiaoping@obgyn.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Xiaoping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chegini
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D035683:MicroRNAs